San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-25

first volume down TO the finish. wv,
amt l right, Bob LowtherY"
Are you ever wrong, OH lost sa-
gacious of your lovely seXpn returned
the host thus pathetically appealed TO;
whilst Charlie Larking, profane sub
altern newly ''jOined. had the temerity
TO advance that, in his opinion, if il
happened to be lady in the profession
al line under discussion, the phrase
might be altered with advantage.
"How about her chalk-white brow,
for instance, nowp | put it TO the
vote!" he inquired, calmly glancing
round.
This injudicious sally brought posi-
tive storm of abuse about his devoted
head, and the fun forthwith became
so fast and furious that Carlisle pres
emily rose, and, motioning TO his host
that "he'd had enough and to spare OF
this sort of thing" and excusing him
self to the ladies as best he might, the
young man resumed his hat and coat,
and walked out into the cold clear
night.
How gratefully the frosty air famed
his flushed cheek and throbbing brow;
how serene, calm and holy seemed the
far-of twinkling stars; how peaceful
the troublous sleeping world beneath
its temporary cloak Of snow, as Dick
turned out of a quiet by-street
into Piccadilly,, and set his face
towards home"
The young mans heart was i'll at ease;
his thoughts recoiled now from the
mere recollection of the scene he had
but just quilted, with its vulgar prodi-
gality, senseless extravaganza and friv-
olity, which had just stopped short Of
vice. He found himself rejecting on
the sum total that little go" must
have cost the good-natured host, what
the wines and fruits alone represented,
the "Christmas-boxes" rendered the
''ladies, the bets which had been laid
land paid on the faintest provocation
in short, the criminal waste of time
and money, a record of the nights en-
tertainment inevitably suggested to a
thoughtful mind. And to please whom
this lavish outlay2 Bah! the enigma
scarce admitted of any satisfactory So
luton. Rose and Stella, BABY" and
"Phipps"-damsels who accepted such
costly sacrifices on the shrine Of
Friendship" as neither more nor less
than their just deserts, and all in the
proper order of events. Tomorrow, in
all probability, they would make merry
at the expense of some other wealthy
admirer of Thalia, and, if the opportun-
ity served, remorselessly turn to ridi-
Guile the previous nights entertain
ment.
AS such reflections crossed his mind,
Dick Carlisle shrugged his shoulders
contemptuously, and then he drew a
long deep sigh, regret for the wasted
hours mingling with relief in that he
was free at last.
He was the only son of country par
son, blessed with a family of daughters,
and pious gentle wife. Until the last
five years, Dicks interests had been
identical with those Of his parents and
sisters, but in lucky Tor luckless?)
hour he had attracted the notice of his
wealthy and eccentric godfather, who
had not previously seen the young man
since his infancy, but was forthwith in
friend Carlisle's only son.
Sir Jasper Earle was a childless wild
over, living in solitary state in lonely
mansion situated in sparsely populat-
ed district some half-dozen miles from
the village of Burnham, where the Rev.
Edward Carlisle had ministered for
more than twenty years, and all his
family had first seen the light.
When the barOnet had originally
startled the inmates of the pretty par
sonage by volunteering Ito do" for
Dick, it had been vaguely understood,
that if the young fellows future con-
duct satisfied his patron, his fortunes
would henceforth be ensured; and as
Sir Jasper believed firmly in a lads
seeing life," Dick had been sent
abroad, after short career at the uni
versity, to explore Continental capitals,
previous to being installed with coup
le of bachelor friends in luxurious
chambers in a certain small house in
Piccadilly, from which coign Of van
tage he presumably enjoyed as much of
life about town as his age, independent
circumstances and liberal allowance
would permit.
The exact end or aim the baronet had
at heart in this some what eccentric
mode of procedure it would be difficult
to define. Dick himself was as much
in the dark as any other upon the sub
ject; his patron had never felt himself
called upon to express his views" to
the object of his solicitude, who was
consequently fain for the present to
confess himself mystitied, albeit he re-
signed himself with good grace to his
somewhat anomalous position and lux
deed, it had occurred to Dick that the
baronet had a mind Ito see the sort of
stuff the young fellow was really made
of, and therefore placed him in some
what perilous position that he might
the better Judge whether he was calcu
lated to sink or swim upon life's tide,
buffet or succumb beneath temptation,
yield to or resist those insiduous influ-
ences which make or mar a man at the
outset of his career. Be that as it
might, however, the stern old man
gave not the faintest hint of his ulti-
mate intention or design; the young
man had carte blanche to enjoy himself
and "see life," his patron manifesting
neither appreciation nor disapproval of
the course Dick had so far steered in
his short journey across life's stormy
main.
There were moments, however,
neither few nor far between, when
every better impulse of Dicks nature
turned longingly in the direction of his
quiet home, and now, as he walked
alone beneath the frosty stars, his
thoughts reverted-by force of contrast
perhaps, with the scene he had just
quitted-to the aspect life at that hour,
without doubt, wore within and with
out the dear old ivy-grown rectory,
where he had promised to spend his
Christmas Eve, despite of the manifold
attractions presented in town.
His sisters had been busy weaving
laurel-chaplets, and cunning devices in
holly and berries, which the rector HIM
self had probably fixed" standing
aloft on the rickety steps" with the
well-worn household hammer in one
hand, and an alarming stock of tenpen-